Recruited from suburban Cheltenham, Peter Box is the only Bulldogs VFL/AFL player to ever win a Premiership, Brownlow Medal and Best and Fairest.
Box burst onto the scene in 1951 winning Footscray’s Most Consistent and Best First Year Player awards but in 1952 was involved in a life threatening motor-cycle accident that threatened to derail his footballing career and saw him missing from the senior team for the entire season. Box recovered from his injuries to play a leading role in Footscray’s charge to a premiership in 1954.
He didn't have great form heading into the finals but came to the party when he was close to best on ground in the semi-final victory over Geelong. Box's athletic build and style were well suited to the wide-open spaces of the MCG where his marking and ground play came into prominence.
Talented and versatile, Box, at just 179cm held down centre half-forward in Footscray’s record-breaking grand final victory. Pace, skill and a strong competitive streak set him apart from most, and when coach, Charlie Sutton, moved him into the centre, he found the freedom to showcase his undoubted class.
After winning the Best and Fairest in 1955, Box’s outstanding form saw him win the Brownlow Medal in 1956 by six votes. Box represented Victoria five times during 1956-57 and left the Bulldogs after just 107 games and 43 goals for the club between 1951 and 1953-57 in a short but dramatic career.
Key stats
Played: 1951, 1953-57 (6 seasons)
Games: 107 (66 wins, 2 draws, 39 losses-Success ratio 62.62%)
Goals: 43
Premiership: 1954
Brownlow Medal: 1956
Brownlow career votes: 47
Best & Fairest: (1) 1955, R/U: 1956
Finals: 7 (including losing Prelims 1953, 1956)
Victorian Rep Games: 5 (1956-57)
Class of '18 | View The Biographies of the latest crop Footscray-Western Bulldogs Hall of Fame inductees.
Hall of Fame
Don Ross
Peter Box
Bernie Quinlan
Steve Wallis
David Smorgon
Legends
Chris Grant
Norm Ware
Allan Hopkins
